Lubricator



(No Model.)

' G. I. THOMPSON.

. LUBRIGATOR. No. 556,786 Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

in BREW BGRMIAM "(01001110. WAsH I new N inc,

UNITED STATES PATENT TEicE,

CHARLES I. THOMPSON, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

LU BRICATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,786, dated March 24, 1896.

Application filed June 25, 1895. $erial lie. 553,945. (No model.)

will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in link-belt lubrieators, by means of which a lubricator is provided, being simple in construction, effective in operation, and cheap in first cost.

More particularly my invention relates to a lubricator designed especially for application to link belts for the purpose of keeping the joints thereof and'the wearing surfaces which traverse the sprocket-wheels over which they are carried thoroughlylubricated, sufficiently so to enable the said belt or chain to perform its function in the most eifective way, but without excessively lubricating the same or to such an extent as to render the same susceptible to the action of dust or dirt or to render the same gummy at the joint thereof.

The particular application to which I place my device is as shown herein in connection with a bicycle, but it may be used in connection with link belts that may be desired.

My invention consists essentially in the provision of a drag bearing upon the surface of a link belt, said drag consisting of a suitable absorbent material, as felt, in a suit-able frame, the same having a connection with a suitable support to allow a free upward and downward movement thereof and to accommodate the bearing-felt to shift as the chain is drawn tight-er or is relaxed, a brush carried in connection with said drag, with the brush surface or the ends of the fibers of the brush bearing on the opposite side of the link belt from the felt bearing of the drag, and the va rious details of construction hereinafter more particularly enumerated.

That my invention may be more fully un derstood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 shows, in elevation, the application of my device to a link-belt chain, the same being supported in connection with a bicycle-frame. Fig. 2 is an end View of the device. Fig. 3 shows sections through a semicircular case or cap in which is supported a 5 lubricating material. Fig. ashows a section through a clip designed for securing the device to the bicycle-frame.

In the figures, B refers to a portion of the framework of a bicycle.

B is the usual sprocket-wheel mounted in connection therewith.

A is the usual link-belt chain used in con nection with bicycles, and is of the kind and character that is generally used in connection 6 5 with machinery.

F is a semicircular case or cap, having an interior opeuin g with corresponding form, the same having the partition f consisting of some suitable material, the same being supyo ported'upon the ledges f on the interior sides of the cap or case, as best seen in Fig.

II is an absorbent material carried in the lowerportion of the case and extending somewhat below and protruding without the case in the manner shown and formed with a circular bearing-surface, and is held in the case or cap by means of the screw g passing through the sides of the case and through the body of the material. This material must be of such a character as to absorb oil.

I is also an absorbent packing carried very loosely within the space above the partition and is purposed to act as an oil-cap or reservoir to receive a quantity of oil and to feed 8 5 the same gradually down into the absorbent material H below, an opening being provided in the upper portion of the case for admitting oil and is closed by means of the screw, as is shown. 90

F is an arm-extension from the case F, and this portion of the device I term a drag, as this portion is purposed to drag upon the surface of the chain, said drag being pivotedly connected with section D of a clip securing the device to bicycle-frame, as shown, the other part of the clip being indicated by (1, which is formed with hooks, as c c, to engage the upper extremity of the section D in either one or the other of the notches, the said sec- 100 tions bearing on either side of the framepiece D and beingsecured together under proper tension by means of the screw E, as shown in'Fig. 2, and also in Fig. 4, and from the said figures it can plainly be seen that the drag will be supported securely in connection with the said clip and sustain a pivoted relation therewith which will enable the drag to move freely up and down as it is carried upon the surface of the chain.

G is a brush which may be made in any suitable manner, but I prefer to make a brush of fine steel wires, substantially fixed within a suitable base or holder and presenting an even surface at its outer extremities, said brush being designed to bear against the outer surface of the chain and opposite from the bearing of the felt lubricating-drag, said brush being supported in proper position by means of the rod G being connected with said brush, being carried through a perforation in the leg F upon the case or cap F, which said rod may be shifted therein an d properly fixed to cause the desired bearing in connection with the chain in any suitable manner. Said brush, therefore, being connected with said drag in the manner shown and described will move with said drag in the manner shown and described and maintain the same bearing relation with the chain at all times, the said brush being provided especially to keep the exterior surface of the chain free from the collection ofdust or dusty substances, this being the surface of course that is most likely to collect the dust in an undisturbed condition, as the lubricant will constantly be fed to its outside surface, and in the absence of anything being applied to clean the surface the dust will readily collect and will be undisturbed by the movement of the chain. By the provision of this brush I absolutely prevent the collection of dust on the chain. By the provision of the lubricating-drag I keep the chain thoroughly and completely lubricated, and I carry it in such a manner that it in no way interferes with the movement of the chain, does not in any manner retard the movement thereof, and is also carried in such manner that the chain may move in either direction without affecting the said drag and brush, the same being thoroughly substantial and durable and can be maintained in connection with a chain at no expense and will obviate the necessity of either cleaning or lubricating said chain except at long intervals, thus providing a very useful device that may be successfully applied at a small cost.

I am aware that lubricating appliances have been used in connection with chains, but I am not aware of a lubricating means being applied of the character and kind shown herein, nor am I aware of a brush ever having been used in connection with a chain or in connection with a chain and a lubricator for the purpose of keeping the surface thereof free from dust.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Alubrieating device consisting of a pivoted drag, presenting a lubricating-surface for bearing upon a chain and a non-revolm ble brush adjustably supported upon said drag and bearing against the opposite surface from the bearing of the lubricating-drag, all substantially as described and shown.

2. In a lubricating device, the combination with a lubricating-drag pivotally supported to bear upon a sprocket-chain, of a brush adjustably supported upon the drag in such a manner that it will bear on the opposite side of the chain upon which the lubricating-drag bears. V

3. In a lubricating device, the combination with a drag designed for bearing upon a sprocket-chain, consisting of a suitable absorbent material and supporting-case having an oil-chamber inthe upper portion thereof, of a clip sustaining a pivotal relation with said drag and formed of two sections adapted to bear over a suitable support, one of the sections being provided with notches to be engaged by a lug upon the other section to accommodate their being connected with different-sized supports, and a screw connection for securing the sections together.

4:. In alubrieating device the combination of a drag consisting of an absorbent material for bearing upon the surface of the chain and a suitable supporting-case therefor and clip sustaining a pivotal relation with said drag and formed of two sections, one with notches for engaging the opposite section to accommodate the engagement of larger or smaller supports provided with suitable screw con nections for clamping the sections together and a suitable brush adjustably carried in connection with said drag and bearing upon the opposite side of the chain from the bearing of the lubricating-chain.

5. In a lubricator, the combination with a pivoted drag for bearing upon a sprocketchain consisting of an absorbent packing, a case for supporting the packing and out or which it protrudes, the case being provided with a foraminated partition separating the absorbent packing from an oil-chamber in the case, of a brush adjustably supported upon the drag so as to bear upon the opposite side of a chain upon which the drag bears, and a clip formed of relatively-adjustable parts to accommodate the engagement of differentsized supports, and to which the drag is pivoted, all substantially as described and shown.

6. In a lubricator, the combination, of the case F, provided with the foraminated partition f, carrying the absorbent packing II, so that it protrudes from the case and the loosely paeked absorbent I, in the portion or the ease above the partition f, for holding a supply of oil delivered thereto through a suitable perforation in the case, the clip formed of the sections 0 and D, relatively adjustable by means of a matching-lug on one part with notches in the other and held together by a In testimony whereof I affix my signature screw, and to which the case is pivotelly conin presence of two witnesses. nected, and the brush G, adjustably support-ed upon case F by means of the rod G CHAS. I. THOMPSON. 5 being carried through a lug on the side of the Witnesses:

case and fixed therein, all substantially as WV. V. TEFFT,

described and shown. ABRAHAM JACOBSON. 

